February 8 Historical fencing display in Los Alcázares

Hand-to-hand combat and a pitched battle at the Pabellón 13 de Octubre in Los Alcázares!

An unusual event is taking place at the Pabellón 13 de Octubre in Los Alcázares (click for map) on Sunday 8^th February, when representatives of around 50 fencing clubs from all over Spain take part in a free open day at which all members of the public are welcome.

Lasting from 9.00 to 14.00, this is the first festival of historical fencing of this kind to be held in the south of the Region of Murcia, and is organized by the armoury of the Tercio de Levante legion and the Department of Sport in the Town Hall of Los Alcázares, and although a series of fights are being organized it is a non-competitive event. Rather than winning, the idea is simply to raise awareness of this minority sport, with admission to the pavilion free of charge.

The main skirmish is scheduled for 12.30, when the participants are allocated to opposing armies and recreate a battle of hand-to-hand combat which promises to be quite a spectacle!

Fencing as a sport has been recreating medieval combat techniques for many centuries, the discipline being based on the traditions established by classical duellists using different weapons including the foil, the sabre and the epée, sometimes extended to include shields, lances and even axes (depending on the historical context).

For more local information in English including news, what’s on and visiting advice, contact the tourist offices in Los Alcázares (main telephone number 968 575756) or go to the home page of Los Alcázares Today.